Safety closure for containers

ABSTRACT

A safety closure for a container is provided to prevent inadvertent opening of the container and exposure of the contents to children and others who may be unaware of the nature of the contents. The closure includes an inner cap having an internal threaded portion to be attached to the threads on the neck of the container and an outer cap overlying the inner cap. The top of the inner cap has a raised plate or ledge which is tapered and is provided with notches extending inwardly of the outer rim and a spring centrally located on the top of the inner cap. The underside of the top of the outer cap has tracks to form a guideway and a stop. A slide is disposed on the guideway between the inner and outer cap and engages the stop to prevent lateral movement of the slide. The top also has an aperture over the slide. When normally assembled the outer cap will freely rotate around the inner cap without moving the inner cap. When the slide is depressed by pressure exerted through the aperture against the action of the spring, the slide is moved to disengage the slot from the stop and partially out of the guideway. When the outer cap is then rotated in the appropriate direction, the slide moves with it into engagement with one flat surface or edge of the ledge on the inner cap and causes the inner cap to turn so that it can move on the threads for removal from the neck of the container. After obtaining the desired amount of the contents, the closure assembly is then again placed on the container and the outer cap is turned in the other direction causing the slide to move with it into engagement with the other flat surface or edge of the raised plate. The inner cap is then turned on the threads until it is secured to the container. Further rotation of the outer cap will cause the slide to sequentially engage on the notches and moves toward its original position in the guideway whereupon the slide can then be moved to reengage the slot and the stop.

United @tates atertt Eogert [451 Mar. 1, 1975 SAFETY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Clayton Bogert, 118 Lowell Rd, Glen Rock, NJ. 07452 [22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 326,861

[76] Inventor:

Primary E.\'aminerGeorge T. Hall Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur A. March, Esq.

[57] ABSTRACT A safety closure for a container is provided to prevent inadvertent opening of the container and exposure of the contents to children and others who may be unaware of the nature of the contents. The closure includes an inner cap having an internal threaded por tion to be attached to the threads on the neck of the container and an outer cap overlying the inner cap. The top of the inner cap has a raised plate or ledge which is tapered and is provided with notches extending inwardly of the outer rim and a spring centrally located on the top of the inner cap. The underside of the top of the outer cap has tracks to form a guideway and a stop. A slide is disposed on the guideway between the inner and outer cap and engages the stop to prevent lateral movement of the slide. The top also has an aperture over the slide. When normally assembled the outer cap will freely rotate around the inner cap without moving the inner cap. When the slide is depressed by pressure exerted through the aperture against the action of the spring, the slide is moved to disengage the slot from the stop and partially out of the guideway. When the outer cap is then rotated in the appropriate direction, the slide moves with it into engagement with one flat surface or edge of the ledge on the inner cap and causes the inner cap to turn so that it can move on the threads for removal from the neck of the container. After obtaining the desired amount of the contents, the closure assembly is then again placed on the container and the outer cap is turned in the other direction causing the slide to move with it into engagement with the other flat surface or edge of the raised plate. The inner cap is then turned on the threads until it is secured to the container. Further rotation of the outer cap will cause the slide to sequentially engage on the notches and moves toward its original position in the guideway whereupon the slide can then be moved to reengage the slot and the stop.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SAFETY CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS This invention relates to safety of protective closures for containers to prevent the inadvertent or accidental opening of the container by children or others to whom exposure of the contents may be dangerous.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore safety closures have been proposed which require excessive force and manual dexterity in order to effect the opening of the container on the part of those capable of knowing the contents. The need for force and dexterity to open the container did not enhance the safety features involved but instead acted to make the closures undesirable because of such disadvantages including the disadvantage of expense.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a safety closure which very effectively prevents any inadvertent or accidental opening of a closure which is provided with the required safety factors. There is no need for any extraordinary force to effect the opening of the container when desired, nor is particular and usual manual dexterity necessary. However, the sequence to be followed makes it substantially impossible to accidentally or inadvertently open the closure.

Briefly, the closure comprises an inner cap which is internally threaded or otherwise adapted to be placed on a conventional container. A portion of the top of the inner cap carries a tapered notched or serrated plate which may be molded with the inner cap. The serrated portion faces inwardly of the outer rim of the inner cap. A spring may be disposed, if desired, at approximately the center of the top of the inner cap.

An outer cap is provided which fits over the inner cap.

An outer cap is provided which fits over the inner cap and has a centrally disposed opening. A guideway is located on the underside of the outer cap adjacent the opening. The guideway is formed by tracks or guides which are molded with the outer cap. A stop is also provided on the underside of the outer cap.

A slide is located in the aforesaid guideway intermediate the surface of the inner cap and the underside of the outer cap and is held in position in the guideway by the spring described hereinbefore. A protusion may be provided on the slide to extend through the opening and facilitate manual manipulation of the slide. A flange or shoulder is disposed at the base of the outer cap and is adapted to engage the lower rim of the inner cap.

Initially the same assembly is such that the inner cap is secured to the neck of the container and the outer cap is disposed over the inner cap. The slide is located in the guideway with the slot in the slide engaging the stop on the underside of the top of the outer cap. In this position the flanges at the base of the outer cap are adjacent the lower rim of the inner cap. The action of the spring on the top of the inner cap maintains the slide in this position. The outer cap is freely rotatable and the container closure cannot be inadvertently or accidentally opened, thus providing a true safety closure.

In order to open the closure, it is merely necessary to slightly depress a slide against the action of the spring and move it to the right or left, whereupon the slot in the slide will become disengaged from the stop and the slide will extend partially out of the tracks froming the guideway. The outer cap is then turned counterclockwise so that one edge of the slide abuts and engages the flat surface of the notched or serrated plate. Continued counterclockwise movement of the outer cap will thereupon cause the slide to move the inner cap which, in turn, passes around the threads for the opening movement of the closure until such time as the closure can be lifted from the container.

After the desired amount of the contents of the container are removed therefrom, the assemblage is returned to the neck of the container and the outer cap is rotated until the other side of the slide engages the other flat surface on the notched or serrated plate. Continued clockwise movement of the outer cap will cause the slide to push the inner cap and ride along the threads for closing the container. Once the limit of the threads has been reached in the neck of the container further clockwise movement of the outer cap will cause the slide to pass from its engagement with the aforesaid flat surface and sequentially engage the notches and serrations by which the slide will move sequentially into the guideway until such time as it is in position where it can be moved so that the slot engages the stop. Lateral movement of the slide during this operation is pre' vented by its partial retention between the tracks forming the guideway. As a consequence, there is provided a closure which requires no extensive force to become operative but in the absence of the slight pressure and manual manipulation is a complete safety closure and prevents inadvertent opening of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the inner cap of the closure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a isometric view of the outer cap of the closure of the present invention showing in dotted lines the tracks forming the guideway and the stop.

FIG. 3 is a section of the outer cap taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the slide utilized in the closure of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view .of the assemblage of the closure of the present invention, with the slide engaging the notches or serrations on the inner cap and moving towards its original locked position.

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The safety closure of the present invention comprises an inner cap 10 which is provided with an internally threaded portion 11 adapted to engage the threads of a conventional container. While a threaded connection has been illustrated, obviously any other conventional form for closing the container may be utilized with the present invention.

The top of the slide has a tapered plate 12 which is provided with notches or serrations 13 facing inwardly, as shown, from the outer rim of the inner cap. The plate has flat surfaces 14 and 15 on each side thereof. A spring 16 extends upwardly from the top of the inner cap. The inner cap may, of course, be a one-piece molded unit or may comprise separate pieces secured together.

The closure of this invention also comprises an outer cap 17 which has a centrally located aperture 18 at the top therof. Tracks 19'forming a guideway 20 are disposed adjacent the central aperture. A stop 21 is located as shown on the underside of the outer cap. As shown in FIG. 3, a slide 22 comprises another part of the closure of the present invention. The slide has edge portions 23 and 24 utilized for the purpose hereinabove described. The slide 22 is also provided with a slotted portion 25 which is adapted to engage the stop 21 on the underside of the inner cap. A protusion or nib 26 is centrally located on the slide and adapted to pass at least in part into the opening 18 in the outer cap.

The slide 22 is placed in the guideway 20 in the outer cap 17, with the protusion or nib 26 on the slide extending at least partially into the opening 18 in the outer cap. In this position the slot 25 accommodates the stop 21. The inner cap is covered by the outer cap 17, with the spring 16 bearing on the slide 22. The flexibility of the outer cap causes the flange 27 to ride over the exterior surface of the inner cap 10 until the point where it springs back and abuts and engages the lower rim 28 of the outer cap. The closure is then completed and the tension of the spring 16 maintains the slide 22 in the appropriate position. It will be seen that in this assembled condition the outer cap 17 will rotate freely around the inner cap 10 without in any way causing movement of the inner cap whereby the container cannot be inadvertently or accidentally opened.

In order to remove the closure a sequential operation is followed in which the slide 22 is depressed against the action of the spring 16 which does not require any I substantial force. The nib 26 is used to facilitate a finger grip for moving the slide, although it is not essential for the slide may be moved without the pressure of the protrubance. The slide 22 is thus removed from the guideway 20 and the slot 25 disengages the stop 21. The slide is then moved to extend partially out of the guideway 20. Thereafter the outer cap 17 is rotated in a counterclockwise position until the edge portion 23 engages the flat surface 14 of the tapered plate 12. Further counterclockwise movement of the outer cap 17 causes the slide 22 to bear against the plate 12 and rotate the inner cap so that it moves up the threads to an open position or for removal and exposure of the contents of the container. The. force exerted will not move the slide because of the partial retention between the tracks.

When the desired amount of contents has been removed, the closure assembly is returned over the neck of the container and the outer cap 17 is rotated in a clockwise direction carrying with it the slide 22. This movement will bring the edge portion 24 of the slide 22 into engagement with the flat surface of the tapered plate 12. Continued clockwise movement of the outer cap 17 and the slide 22 will thereupon cause the inner cap 10 to move and engage the threads on the neck of the container until the closure is totally in closed position. Thereafter clockwise movement of the outer cap is continued and the edge portion 24 comes out of engagement with the flat surface 15 and sequentially engages each of the notches or serrations as the clockwise movement proceeds. This engagement causes the slide to sequentially move until it is back in position in the guideway 20, whereupon the slide may be moved so that the stop is again in engagement with the slot. All of this action requires very little pressure or manual dexterity but the sequence of movements is such that they must be clearly understood by the user so that inadvertent or accidental opening of the container by children or others cannot at all be accomplished.

It is to be understood that while the invention has been described in detail with relationship to an embodiment thereof, this description is only to facilitate an understanding of the invention and is not in any way intended to limit the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A safety closure for containers comprising:

an inner cap having a top portion and a rim,

a tapered raised member on said top having relatively flat surfaces at each edge and notches between said flat surfaces extending inwardly from the rim of the inner cap,

spring means on the top portion of the inner cap,

an outer cap having a top portion,

tracks on the underside of the top portion of the outer cap forming a guideway,

an aperture in said outer cap,

a movable slide disposed in said guideway and maintained in the guideway by the action of said spring means, said movable slide when partially moved out of said guideway engaging the flat surfaces and notches on said raised member when the outer cap is rotated in one direction and then the other.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, including a stop on the underside of the outer cap and a slot in said slide to accommodate said stop.

3. A safety closure for containers comprising:

an inner cap having a top portion,

a raised member on said top portion of said inner an outer cap having a top portion overlying said inner cap,

means disposed intermediate the underside of the top portion of the inner cap and above the top portion of the outer cap, said means being movable to engage the raised member upon rotation of the outer cap, and

tracks on the underside of the top portion of the outer cap forminga guideway to accommodate the movable means.

4. A safety closure for containers comprising:

an inner cap having a top portion,

a raised member on said top portion of said inner cap,

an outer cap having a top portion overlying said inner cap,

means disposed intermediate the underside of the top portion of the inner cap and above the top portion of the outer cap, said means being movable to engage the raised member upon rotation of the outer cap, and

spring means located on the top portion of the inner cap and'bearing on the underside of the movable means disposed intermediate the inner cap and the outer cap.

5. A safety closure for containers comprising:

an inner cap having a top portion,

a raised member on said top portion of said inner an outer cap having a top portion overlying said inner cap,

means disposed intermediate the underside of the top portion of the inner cap and above the top portion of the outer cap, said means being movable to engage the raised member upon rotation of the outer and cap, a slot in the movable member for accommodating a stop on the underside of the top portion of the outer said stop.

cap for limiting movement of the movable member, 

1. A safety closure for containers comprising: an inner cap having a top portion and a rim, a tapered raised member on said top having relatively flat surfaces at each edge and notches between said flat surfaces extending inwardly from the rim of the inner cap, spring means on the top portion of the inner cap, an outer cap having a top portion, tracks on the underside of the top portion of the outer cap forming a guideway, an aperture in said outer cap, a movable slide disposed in said guideway and maintained in the guideway by the action of said spring means, said movable slide when partially moved out of said guideway engaging the flat surfaces and notches on said raised member when the outer cap is rotated in one direction and then the other.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1, including a stop on the underside of the outer cap and a slot in said slide to accommodate said stop.
 3. A safety closure for containers comprising: an inner cap having a top portion, a raised member on said top portion of said inner cap, an outer cap having a top portion overlying said inner cap, means disposed intermediate the underside of the top portion of the inner cap and above the top portion of the outer cap, said means being movable to engage the raised member upon rotation of the outer cap, and tracks on the underside of the top portion of the outer cap forming a guideway to accommodate the movable means.
 4. A safety closure for containers comprising: an inner cap having a top portion, a raised member on said top portion of said inner cap, an outer cap having a top portion overlying said inner cap, means disposed intermediate the underside of the top portion of the inner cap and above the top portion of the outer cap, said means being movable to engage the raised member upon rotation of the outer cap, and spring means located on the top portion of the inner cap and bearing on the underside of the movable means disposed intermediate the inner cap and the outer cap.
 5. A safety closure for containers comprising: an inner cap having a top portion, a raised member on said top portion of said inner cap, an outer cap having a top portion overlying said inner cap, means disposed intermediate the underside of the top portion of the inner cap and above the top portion of the outer cap, said means being movable to engage the raised member upon rotation of the outer cap, a stop on the underside of the top portion of the outer cap for limiting movement of the movable member, and a slot in the movable member for accommodating said stop. 